amid the fierce fiscal cliff fight. after holding a campaign-like stop in pennsylvania friday, the president today is urging congress to extend middle class tax cuts in his weekly address. >> both parties say we should keep middle class taxes low. the senate's already passed a bill to keep income taxes from going up on middle class families. democrats in the house are ready to do the same thing. if we can just get a few house republicans on board, i'll sign this bill as soon as congress sends it my way. >> the gop is also out today with new criticism of the president's plan. here's republican senator orrin hatch of utah. >> what he proposed this week was a classic bait and switch on the american people. a tax increase double the size of what he campaigned on. billions of dollars in new stimulus spending. and an unlimited, unchecked authority to borrow from the chinese. maybe i missed it, but i don't recall him asking for any of that during the presidential campaign. >> joining me now, white house reporter for the "washi